Get Down With The Funk!

The man to the right is Cornel West, he is a professor of African American studies and Religion at Princeton. He is my favorite author and generally one of the people I admire most in the world. I have had the chance to meet him a few years back which was an amazing experience. His writing can be challenging both in complexity and content. It is written as commentary on society as a black man, as a Christian and as he calls it a small "d" democrat (one who believes in the full potential of democracy). The following passage from his most recent book Hope On A Tightrope struck me very deeply and I wanted to share it with you.

Behold, that first century Palestinian Jew was born in a funky manger. He had some funky working-class parents sometimes dealing with unemployment and underemployment. He walked on some funky and dusty roads, didn't he? He brought together 12 funky folk. He didn't go 100 miles to the vanilla surburbs, did he? He picked them right from around where he came from. It's so easy to forget the funk in Jesus's life because our churches can become so deodorized.

The funky Gospel of funky Jesus can become so Americanized that it is reduced to marketplace spirituality, prosperity gospel, and Chamber of Commerce religion. No! We want to keep focused on the funk of Jesus, especially that funky blood at that funky cross.

If you don't find joy in serving others, if you you don't understand the joy in loving people, then come back to the cross. Get down in that funky blood and understand what it means to be at that funky tomb that was when empty when that prostitute Mary Magdalene showed up and had a message for the world.

You can't be be committed to that kind of funky gospel if you're not willing to pay a price. You need to be willing to bear a burden. You need to cut against the grain.

True Christian Love.

This story is showing the best of Christianity.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3789373&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1

Never miss a chance to tell them you love them.

Yesterday morning our outside cat Ms Kitty was mauled and carried off by a stray dog. I can't believe this happened and am deeply troubled by it. It was a staple of my day to have to slow down for her when pulling in the driveway because she ran in front of the car just to remind you to feed her. Ms Kitty came with the house we bought and we adopted her, feeding her and treating her for fleas because she was allergic to them and her hair would fall out because of it. She got along great with our dogs when they were outside and was just a gentle creature. We could not bring her inside because there would be a fight with our other 2 cats. But she would stare into our house longing to be a part of the inside family. I regret not bringing her in especially as she peered through the front window watching us decorate our Christmas tree the other night. My biggest regret, however, is that the other night after I had just finished reading Marley and Me I went around to all my 4 leg kids and picked them up and told them I was thankful for them and that I love them, I did the same with Sabrina, I left out Ms Kitty. The point of all of this is to take a moment, or several, out of each day to tell those you love that you love them and you are thankful for them, I know that this was a cat was lost, but if you know me you know that I consider my animals to be part of my family as if I fathered them myself. Freak things do happen and anyone of us could be gone at anytime, make sure you don't have regrets.

Merry Christmas

We finaly got our tree decorated tonight. Duke and Dutchess are proud of thier work. It finally feels like Christmas now. I realized that the good that can come out of these troubling times is that you appreciate those things that money can't buy family and friends. Maybe since people may struggle buying gifts this year they will appreciate the true meaning of Christmas. From the Guenther's- Sabrina, Mark, Arden, Dutchess, Duke, Ms Kitty, Callie, and Mollie, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Sign Of Hilarity!

ROME — In the latest fashion statement out of Italy, soccer players are dropping their shorts to score goals.
Catania, a team in the country's top division, unveiled the new look while taking a free kick. The players lined up in a wall and dropped their shorts in an effort to block the goalkeeper's vision.
The Sicilian team carried out the maneuver to perfection Sunday. Three players dropped their shorts practically to their knees so Torino goalie Matteo Sereni couldn't see the kick by Giuseppe Mascara, who scored during Catania's 3-2 victory.
Catania is coached by Walter Zenga, a former goalkeper on Italy's national team.
"This is a strategy that Zenga tries continually in training," Pietro Lo Monaco, the club's chief executive, told RAI state radio Monday.
Former referees coordinator Paolo Casarin called the move "unsportsmanlike and in bad taste."
"It's a trick that should not be tolerated anymore by the referees," he said.
Lo Monaco replied: "A trick? I wouldn't say so. It's up to the referee to decide if it should be penalized, otherwise I don't see where the problem is. ... Good taste is relative."


Three words... Tastelessly Brilliant Hilarity!

November 5th I will have a hangover.

NO, not that kind. I am a political junkie, I read blogs, watch cable news all the time and am passionate about the issues. Well, I have been following the elections daily since, well, as long as I can remember. I got up this morning at 5:30 am to vote, I had been waiting for months and months for the election to come. This was the first presidential general election I have voted in. I 2000 I didn't much care and in 2004 I had issues with registration and couldn't. So I decided I would not vote early because I wanted the experience of voting on election day. After casting my ballot this morning in less time than I thought, because I got there so early, I had this weird feeling come over me. What do I do tomorrow? So on Wednesday November 5th I will wake up with a hangover, depending on results it could be one of those where you swear you will never do that again or it could be one where you ignore how bad you feel to recount the stories of the journey you just went through. Either way I had loads of entertainment and a wide variety of emotions through this whole campaign, and no matter what the outcome our country has some reconciling to do, there have been far to many divisions for far too long, may we continue to strive for that more perfect union our founders envisioned.

YES WE CAN!

Signs of Hilarity!

Derek has on ongoing series on Signs of Hope which is fantastic, especially since Sabrina and the Orange Olive were on of those signs. Well I have decided to do Signs of Hilarity, which could bring hope to some people. It will be funny things that I come across on the internets that I find to be, well, Hilarious. It may be pictures, maybe video, maybe text. I realize that not everything is equally funny to everyone so if you don't agree with me that's fine. Here is our first Sign of Hilarity!


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WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!!!!!!

I have been waiting to post this as not everyone at the salon knew and I didn't want them to find out it from here in the incredibly minute chance that anyone of those people might read this. Well, they know now so I can talk about it without restraint. Well here is the back story, Sabrina always wanted to have kids, there were numerous disagreements between us as men and women look at different when deciding if it is right to start trying (we weren't trying). Well as life would have it when we found out, I was much more at peace with it than she was, as she had just started the Salon and a wasn't sure how this would impact it. I was confident everything would be just fine, as I have be working very hard to stop worrying about things I cannot control and giving them to faith. We we are about 3 months into this process and I am becoming more excited, it still doesn't seem real at times but it is and and this ride ain't stoppin'. Just wanted to finally let this out and I am sure I will be commenting on it more in the months and years ahead.

ORANGE OLIVE HAIR GALLERY IS NOW OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As of 10AM Tuesday, October 21 2008, the Orange Olive Hair Gallery is open for business, and it is fantastic! I am so proud of Sabrina, she did an amazing job turning a worn out Blue and Pink mill house into an eclectic salon that reflects the culture of the neighborhood. I hope you will come by and check it out and make your appointment.

Sabrina Got A New Car!

If you didn't know, several weeks ago I was in a car accident. I was not hurt but the Sabrina's PT Cruiser was totalled. We had been thinking about getting a new car in a few months so the timing was not the best but we got way more than the car was worth from the insurance, so we could but a good down payment on the new car. Well Sabrina decided on the Scion xD in the limited edition Hot Lava a seen on the right. It is NICE, it looks just like the picture only we upgraded to black wheels on my insistence. We pick it up tomorrow so if you see a hot chick in a bright Hot Lava Scion speeding around Charlotte that's her! Tell her to slow down.

Orange Olive Hair Gallery Site is LIVE!

As of Monday September 8th, 2008 http://www.orangeolivenoda.com/ is live. There will be changes made periodically to the site but the overall layout will stay the same. Check it out, I will post the opening date so you can make your appointment.

Christian=Republican?

I hesitate writing this because it opens me up for some, if not a lot of, criticism. Something I have been struggling with for a long time is how many in the Church, especially among evangelicals who automatically identify themselves as Republican no matter what. I also understand that mainline protestant churches generally identify as Democrat. Catholics are a mixed bag. I believe this is something that is very dangerous for both the church and the state. I understand for many people that their identification often centers around the issue of abortion and/or gay marriage. While these issue are important to many, when voting solely on these issue you can purchase a whole litany of other positions that you may not agree with that may or may not be Christian and/or Biblical. A trend I have noticed is that when a person is born again the next stop is changing or renewing their voter registration. I have touched on the hot button issues of abortion and Gay Marriage but what about monetary and fiscal policy, the role of the government in social services, use of the military. Unfortunately in this day in age the Republican party has been see as the party carrying the mantle of the Church and they have exploited it to the Nth degree. I used to be the person that I just described, I believed in the Republican party based on some of my beliefs and those around me within the church. Upon closer examination I realized that the party did not represent a large part of what I believe in. But the thing that drove me away was not any particular issue, which there were, but how much they tried to exploit my belief in God and Jesus to gain my vote. Many of the people who ran on "moral" and "family" values lived lives that did not reflect that, it was just an easy platform to stand on that they never had to deliver on. They may have said they would outlaw abortion and prevent gay marriage to represent thiers beliefs, but I saw no fruit of the spirit coming from within in them, no love, compassion, or fire for justice (not revenge). They were used the support they gained from the hot button issues to do a litany of other things that many of the people who voted for them accepted because, "they reflect my values." I reject that.

Now I am a registered Independent, my voter registration says so, that way I pick the candidate or party that best reflects, as a whole, what I believe in and want to see accomplished, sometimes it is a Republican, sometimes it is a Democrat, sometimes it is neither(by the way I a big advocate of a legitimate third party to fix this problem) . I now judge candidates like I judge pastors. Not by the words that come out of their mouth, although they matter, but by the genuine love that comes from their heart and the actions that it produces in their life and others. Are they about reaching out to more people and helping them or are they about a narrow agenda that serves only a few and alienates the rest.

I NEED MY FIX!!!!!!!!

My name is Mark Guenther and I am addicted to Fantasy Football. I started playing in a league with friends 3 years ago and did so poorly that it became my obsession to redeem myself. I even went so far as to name my team Redemption for the next season, where I went from dead last to second place, losing in the final. Last year while having the second best team as far as overall performance, I was unlucky enough to have the second most points on a given weekend, only to play the guy with the most points that week, multiple times. I was robbed! This year I will hopefully be vindicated and win my first championship. To those considering whether or not to try Fantasy Football. I can only offer this advice, if you want to spend your Sundays and Monday nights glued to your TV, computer or cell phone and have your feeling of self worth determined by whether or not Peyton Manning called a rushing play for a TD rather than a pass, go ahead, try it. If not stay away and preserve your sanity, your marraige and your interest in church on Sundays.

P.S: No matter how much you pray for victory in Fantasy Football it will not be granted. Believe me I've tried. That is why I have now decided that Jesus will draft for me, I am sure that was covered by grace too. Right?

It can happen to you!

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for homeless people even if they contributed to their own situation. I cannot comprehend what it would be like to not know where you will sleep, if or when you will eat. To be without clean clothes or have access to regular showers. Additionally the amount of ridicule that you receive from most everyone you encounter. I have often wanted to voluntarily make myself homeless with no access to money or help of any kind other than what I can come up with myself, just to gain that perspective. Unfortunately there are number of people who are finding themselves homeless who most people never would expect to be in that situation. Among these are women, the elderly, and veterans . This is unacceptable in a nation as wealthy as America. I admit I have not done nearly enough for the helping the homeless and am going to really take a look at how I can make an difference with this problem. Below is a link to an article of an elderly woman who now lives in her car with her 2 dogs and how this is not as uncommon as you might think.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/19/homeless.mom/index.html

Run for Mercy

Many people say a goal is a dream until you write it down, so here goes. It is my intention to run the Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon on Saturday Dec 13, 2008 to raise money for Mercy Ministries. Although the event that I run is subject to change due to training schedule, injury and other logistics, I WILL be Running For Mercy. This is a real stretch of faith for me, I have never run anywhere close to 26.2 miles but I believe that the cause is worth that stretch and that faith will see me through. Additionally I will be seeking individual sponsors who will pledge $ amounts per completed mile that will go to Mercy Ministries for whatever they choose, hopefully to put towards their future Charlotte location. Here is another stretch of faith, I want to raise AT LEAST $10,000 for Mercy. All prayers for strength and health, as well as sponsorship is greatly appreciated. There I've said it. I am now committed, it is official!

Come and Join the Winning Side

Desmond Tutu is one of my favorite people, he was the Anglican Archbishop to Cape Town, South Africa during the struggle with Apartheid, he has also won the Nobel Peace Prize.There is a short story about him that I have read many times and told to many people. Everytime I read or tell the story it gives me chills, it is that powerful. Here is the story:

A demonstration against apartheid had been forbidden to take place out on the streets, and so they had moved it into the church. But the police came into the church together with the crowds, hovered around the edges in a threatening manner.
And Tutu addressed the police directly, pointed at them, and said, “You may be powerful, but YOU are not God.” He said, “you have already been defeated.”
And then he stepped forward and with the cheeky smile that he’s so well known for he said, “so, since you’ve lost already, why don’t you come and join us, come and join the winning side.” And the policemen kind of slinked away and left them to their worship service.

Do you know what happened? They were defeated! God is always on the side of justice even when the odds seem to be against it.

Seven Deadly Social Sins

I am a person who believes strongly in the idea there are two different sides to the Gospel that Jesus taught, Personal and Social, which when both are applied the true message of Christ is realized.

As a person who was raised in the Catholic church I was taught the Seven Deadly Sins which some Christians know and others have never heard of. These are seven Sin types which lead not to physical death (although they can) but spiritual. If you don't know what they are here is the list:

Lust

Gluttony

Greed

Sloth (Laziness)

Wrath (Anger or vengefulness)

Envy

Pride

These all seem obvious as dangers, even if you have never seen this list. However, Mahatma Ghandi, although not a Christian himself, clearly was in tune with many Christian values. He came up with the Seven Deadly Social Sins which lead to the death of the soul of society. They are:

Wealth Without Work

Pleasure Without Concscience

Knowledge Without Character

Commerce Without Morality

Science Without Humanity

Religion Without Sacrifice

Politics Without Principle

I think our society not only has broken each one of these fourteen sins but we have made it our M.O. However, we only seem to be working on the personal sins all the while our society is walking off the edge of a cliff. This is an area that must change, if we are to hope for any sort of real change in ourselves and our society I believe that we must strive to overcome each of these 14 items.

What do you think?

HOLY COW

I recently sat down and composed a list of things I would like to do before I die, (Sabrina had watched The Bucket List on the plane ride back from Europe) it ranged from rather meaningless i.e walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to significant accomplishment- run a marathon. While I know I will likely not satisfy all of these goals (marathon) I got to check one item off the list recent. I went to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. I wanted to go to Opening Day but the tickets were pretty steep, so I went to the 3rd game of the season. Keep in mind that Chicago in April can be hit or miss weather wise. Well it was a miss. It was upper 40's no sun and the wind was blowing in. My hot chocolate was a chocolate shake by the time I finished it. I was with my dad and we both silently thought whether the other would mind if we left before the game was over. We made it to the top of the 9th ( which allowed us to sing 'Take Me Out To The Ballgame'). The Cubs looked like they were going to win and we were turning to ice cubes. After all of that we got to see the first win of the season, the Cubs are in first place. I hope I can go again sometime when the weather is better. Cue the Music!

Go Cubs Go, Go Cubs Go

Hey Chicago what do you say

The Cubs are Gonna Win Today

Next on the list... Packers Game @ Lambeau Field

What is on your list?

Dog is my co-pilot

The Picture to the right is of my 2 dogs, Duke (not University, gag!) is the white one and Dutchess is the brown one. Aside from my wife they are my pride and joy. I always grew up hearing that "all dogs go to heaven", I was shocked when my wife told me she had never heard that before, apparently Baptist dogs don't make the cut, go figure. If God were to have a favorite animal it has to be the dog. Now I love all animals, with Opossums being the only possible exception, but dogs are the best . If you have a dog you know what I mean, dogs when treated right, regardless of breed (Pit Bulls included) are the best companion humans can have. They are one of the few animals shown to be altruistic, they will literally give their life for you, cats won't, horses won't, I don't think, if anything they will kill you. I got to thinking, are dogs in some way a mirror of God, the words are in fact mirrors of each other, this is likely a coincidence, but then again, God works in mysterious ways. Think about it, a dog loves you unconditionally, it doesn't care what you did yesterday, two weeks ago, that one time when you had too much to drink, it only thinks about you how it sees you, the love of its life. If you have a dog, have you ever left the house for two minutes and when you come back the dog acts the same as if you have been gone for weeks, tail wagging and probably bringing you a treat welcoming you home. God is much the same way, through Jesus, God got a short memory. He is only caring about what you are doing now and what you are doing the future, to God repentance is the treat that makes Him wag his tail and forget, and he is always happy when you come home even if you have only been gone a short while. If you ever need a reminder how much God loves you just look at a dog.

Being A Red Letter Christian

http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2007/10/the-catchy-name-is-catching-on.html

Above is a link to a post that Tony Campolo wrote that does a good job in describing my faith. In this world of ours there is so much emphasis on labeling everything and everyone, the term evangelical has been painted very broadly, and the meaning it carried didn't necessarily fit me. Yes I believe in evangelizing to the world, I think that Jesus is the answer that the world is looking for. However there were a lot of other things that went with the title that I didn't care to be associated with. When I read the Bible the parts that I keep head and shoulders above all the rest are the parts that are now conveniently now put in Red. These are the words that Jesus, Son of God, The Christ spoke. If he is who he says he is than I think direct quotations should be paid attention to. The post explains this a lot better than I can. Read it, does this reflect you?

Brett Broke My Heart

If anyone didn't know, on March 4th 2007 Brett Favre annouced his retirement for the NFL. I was stunned. We were so close last year, if not for destiny being on the side of the New York Giants we would have gone the super bowl and I believe we too would have beaten the Patriots. I thought for sure he would be back this year to lead us all the way to the promised land. For most of my life Brett Favre was like death and taxes, you could count on it. Now that is gone, my sunday security blanket is gone and I feel lost, are my Packers going to return to the way they were in the 80's dwelling in the basement of the NFL, I think not they have lots of talent still on the team. I am just happy that I can tell my kids that I got to watch the greatest quarterback ever, and that he went out on top.

Thanks Brett from Cheesehead nation.